Sunday, July 14, 2013

Tragedy

I find it so funny that this country was pressing so hard for marijuana legalization, cheered in victory when Colorado passed it, yet condemned a 17 y/o as a thug for having smoked some. This country that says weed does nothing to your body used it as justification in painting Trayvon as aggressive. Are there double standards in this country? Yes. Are there two sets of rule books in this country? Yes, perhaps more. Has justice been served for this boy? No, not since that wet night in February. He could have easily been my son, whose Facebook posing with apple cider bottles (labels turned away from the camera) could have painted him a different way than what he is; my son, whose mere activity as a football player would label him aggressive; my son, who has taken unsmiling pictures and posted them; my son, who has occasionally dropped the "s" word in a text message (yeah, I got on him about that); my son, who would have ran just like Trayvon did on that cold February night from a man who was following him in a car in the dark b/c he knows boogie men exist; my son, who favors a hoodie and headphones. But those with the money in America wouldn't have seen the goofy loveable friendly kid many of us know down here-- they would have just seen selected pictures and pigmentation and labeled him a thug as many of our children get labeled. And if it takes a village to raise a child, then it was my son that died in February of 2012. Rest in peace, Trayvon.